Alert:
The mission of the Fairfax County Park Authority Community Garden Plot Rental Program is to give Fairfax County residents the opportunity to garden.
Our policy of ‘next plot, next person’ for our registration list ensures a healthy mix of backgrounds and a fair distribution of plots. The Garden Plot Program is on the forefront of the One Fairfax Initiative. Our garden tenants represent the full range of diversity that is present in the County, including all socioeconomic strata.
The Fairfax County Park Authority rents more than 700 garden plots in ten county parks to Fairfax County residents on an annual basis. Gardeners who keep their plots in compliance are offered renewal leases for subsequent years in all garden plot parks except Hogge Park where rentals are only for one year
Use the link above to sign up to rent a garden plot through the Fairfax County Park Authority. The date you submit your request will be kept in our database. When a plot becomes available, you will be emailed in turn (first on the list, first notified - some preference is given at Hogge Park for proximity to the park). If you are not reachable by email or if you have not accepted the plot within the designated timeframe (usually 4 or 5 days), the vacant plot will be given to the next person on the list and your name will be removed.
Large Plot Garden Rules and Guidelines apply to the following parks:
Small Community Plot Rules and Community Commitment apply to:
Size: Most plots are approximately 20’ x 30’. Fences, gates, and locks are provided and maintained by the plot tenant. Each plot at Hogge Park consists of a single raised 6’ x 9’ x 2’ bed. At Laurel Hill, each of the large 20’ x 30’ plots includes three 12’ x 4’ x 2’ raised beds.
Fees: Large plots, including at Laurel Hill, rent for $140 each year. The small plots at Hogge Park rent for $80 per season.
Accessibility: All plots are accessible during daylight hours, 365 days per year, unless special conditions require park closure. Raised beds at Laurel Hill and Hogge Park are ADA compliant.
Plot Renewals: Large plots may be renewed annually if the plot is kept in compliance with the program rules. Small community plots at Hogge Park are rented for one season only. Gardeners at Hogge may register again (at the end of the list) at the conclusion of the rental period.
| Large Plot Model (~600 square feet) | Hogge's Small Plot Model (~60 square feet) | |
|---|---|---|
| Comparison of Models | Renewable rental of a 20'x30' garden plots in an FCPA host park. Most tenants drive 3-5 miles to their plot. | Non-renewable rental of a 6'x9' raised bed for one season (Feb to Nov). Priority is given to those who are within walking distance of Hogge Park. |
| Fence, Raised Beds | Provided and maintained by gardener of record except at Laurel Hill where raised beds and fences are provided. | Provided and maintained by FCPA, including soil |
| Rental Term | Renewable annually | One yearonly |
| Water is Free at All Sites, Both Models | Gardeners bring their own hoses | Community hose is kept on site for all to use |
| Shed and Tools | Supplied by each gardener for their own plot | Community shed and tools |
| Vegetative waste | Gardeners must remove garden debris off- site | Gardeners must remove garden debris off- site |
| Fees | $140 per year | $80 per year |
| Plot requests | Register through FCPA website | |
| ADA Accessibility | At Laurel Hill, all plots accessible by wheelchair. All other parks are not accessible by wheelchair | All plots accessible using wheelchair |
The Garden Plot Coordinator, may be reached at FCPAGardenPlots@fairfaxcounty.gov or 703-642-0128 (TTY Va. Relay 711).
The Fairfax County Garden Plot Program is administered by the Community Horticulture Office at:
Green Spring Gardens
4603 Green Spring Road
Alexandria, VA 22312
Please note that front desk staff at Green Spring Gardens cannot process garden plot payments or assign plots. These tasks must go through the Garden Plot Coordinator.
For information on availability of leaf or wood mulch, visit Free Mulch.
Theft or other illegal activity at garden plot sites should be reported to the Fairfax County Police at the police non-emergency number, 703-691-2131, or the Fairfax County Police Department's online Community Reporting System (CRS). Garden Plot renters are also asked to file a Fairfax County Park Authority Incident report if applicable. Please contact the Garden Plot Coordinator for additional information.
If you are a current garden plot renter and would like to be part of a volunteer effort to monitor and remove encroaching vegetation from your park, please contact the Garden Plot Coordinator. Programs are currently underway at Pine Ridge and Nottoway Parks.
At Green Spring Gardens, the Green Spring Extension Master Gardeners maintain an Edible Garden to educate the public about vegetable gardening. The garden includes vegetables, fruit trees and herbs. Here are the day-to-day notes from this garden:
Free garden education programs are offered throughout the season at many of our garden plot host parks and nearby locations. In general, they are open to the public.
